"Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Emporia State University Foundation's Trustees were unable to gather in person for their October 2020 Annual Meeting. However, Foundation staff knew it was more important than ever to ensure Trustees felt appreciated, connected, and inspired to help achieve the Foundation's philanthropic mission.
Our solution was to host a virtual meeting and bring "Just A Taste" of Emporia, Kansas, to each of our Trustees through mailed boxes containing local delicacies. The Annual Meeting's agenda was carefully designed to intersperse three distinct shared tasting experiences at strategic points in the program in the hopes of keeping participants engaged, active, and delighted throughout.
This experiment was wildly successful, with many Trustees stating that they felt more connected and engaged than at prior in-person meetings. Through sharing food and drink, we were able to bring a sense of intimacy to the virtual meeting of more than 40 participants located throughout the country. The boxes and all other materials were designed to evoke the hospitality of our Hornet Nation. Inside were items for three tasting courses, along with a 6”x6” trifold insert containing special instructions and tasting notes for each course. Then, during the meeting, our Director of Donor Relations introduced each course and gave personal commentary on each of the vendors and notes about the items. Slides accompanied the commentary for additional background on the vendors to showcase local personalities. During each course, delighted Trustees were quick to share their feedback either verbally or in the chat."
From the Judges
A well-executed approach to create shared experience. This seemed to be a successful program in keeping a core group engaged at a time that was otherwise difficult to maintain those connections.
